Clutch



G. HUNT Nov. 19, 1940.

CLUTCH Filed July 3, 1939 attorneys Patented Nov. 19, 1940 PATENT OFFICE CLUTCH George Hunt, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application July 3, 1939, Serial No. 282,723

5 Claims.

This invention relates to clutches and is the result of an effort to improve the clutch by which the engine shaft of a motor vehicle is releasably coupled. to the input shaft of the 6 change speed mechanism.

An object of the invention is to improve the operating connection betwen the clutch engaging spring and the throwout collar.

Other objects including economy and simplicity will be understood from the description which follows.

On the drawing:

Figure 1 is a transverse section, the section being indicated by the line of Figure 2.

1 Figure 2 is a view in elevation partly broken away and in section.

Figure 3 shows in perspective two parts in disassembled relation. Figure fl is a'section on line 4-'-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing, the engine shaft 5 is connected to the flywheel 1 by fastening means 9. Fastening means ll serve to secure a cover l3 to the flywheel. The input shaft of the transmission is marked l5. It extends into the cover enclosure and is piloted within the end of the engine shaft as at I1. Slidably but non-rotatably mounted on shaft I5 is a hub l9. A driven disc 2| provided with friction facings 23 is oper- .ably connected to the hub by torque transmitting springs 25. A pressure plate 21 is used to grip the driven plate between itself and the flywheel. It is formed with a plurality of radial extensions 29 which are received in slots 3| formed in the cover whereby the pressure plate rotates jointly with the cover.

To normally resiliently force the pressure plate into active clutch engaging position, there is used a coned spring 33. The spring has a circular line contact with the pressure plate at 35. To take the reaction of the spring the cover carries a circular series of rivets 31. Between the heads 38 of the rivets and the cover are two rings 39 and 4| supported by the rivets. The spring 33 has a circular series of apertures 43 and the rivets pass through some of these apertures, the rings 39 and 4| being on opposite sides of the spring as shown. From apertures 43 there extend radial slots 45 whereby the inner part of gage the tongues 41. Constant-contact is to be j maintained between the fingers 41 and the surface 53. To this end, resilient rods are used. Each rod has one end bent at a right angle to its axis as at 51 and the coned spring is formed with openings to receive these ends. The other end of each spring rod has a partispherical surface 53. The collar is formed with radial passages 6| within which these ends 59 are slidably received. Specially formed pins are seen at 63. One is used for each spring rod 55. The pins 10 are extended through openings in the spring radially nearer the center than the openings for the ends 51. The pins are then headed to permanently secure them to the spring. The opposite ends of the pins are bifurcated to form 15 slots which receive the mid-portions of the spring rods. The furcations arethen bent over the rods to permanently secure the parts together. The spring rods are stressed in the process of assembly so that the fingers 41 are 20. held resiliently in contact with the-surfaces 53 of the collar.

In operation the coned spring 33 pushes the pressure plate resiliently toward the flywheel and the driven plate is gripped the'rebetween. The reaction of the spring load is taken by the ring 4| resting on the cover and supported by the rivets 31. To release the clutch. pressure is applied to the collar 49 so that it moves toward the flywheel. The collar takes the load from ring 30 4| and fulcrums the spring about ring 39. In so doing the outer margin of the coned spring is moved away from the flywheel and any convenient means such as 61 may be used to release the driven plate. The spring rods 55 afford an 35 inexpensive and convenient means to complete a subassembly of spring and collar so that the fingers 41 at all times yieldingly engage the collar. The position of the contact between the fingers 41 and the collar at 53 and the position 40 of the engagement of the spring rods with the collar are such that distortion and stress of the spring rods is minimized as the coned spring changes its'shape during the movement between clutch engaging and clutch releasing positions. 45 The spring rods serve also to effect a driving engagement between the spring and the. collar.

I claim:

ing radially extending resilient rods one end of each rod being anchored to said coned spring and 1. In a friction clutch, a coned spring and' throwout collar assembly, said assembly includthrow'out collar, radially extending spring rods each rod having one end slidable relative to said collar and anchored at its other end to said spring and stressed in assembly to maintain contact between said collar and coned springand to trans-' mit the rotary movement of the spring to the v collar.

3. In a clutch, a. coned spring, a throwout collar, radially extending spring rods, each rod terminally connected to said coned spring and collar and having an intermediate connection to said coned spring whereby it is stressed to eflect a permanent contact between said collar and coned spring.

4 The invention defined by claim 3, the enof the spring rod having a rounded surface mov- 10 able in a radial passage of the collar.

GEORGE HUNT. 

